The Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences (DEOHS) in the University of Washington, School of Public Health proposes a 10 week summer research training experience for undergraduate science students (seven trainees per year) under the NIH Summer Research Program initiative. The intent of this program will be to increase the number and diversity of researchers and research leaders pursuing graduate education and careers in the fields of Environmental Health Sciences. The proposed program will emphasize the undergraduate research experiences in environmental health sciences, instruction and interactive learning in related environmental health topics as well as those preparatory to entering graduate programs. The specific aims of the program are: 1) Provide research training and exposure in environmental health sciences for undergraduate students. 2) Increase the diversity of the pool of students progressing to graduate study in environmental Health Sciences, and 3) Encourage trainees to pursue graduate education in environmental health sciences. To achieve the program aims, trainees will undertake a 10 week full-time summer internship, during which they participate in on-going research projects sponsored by DEOHS faculty. The research experience will be supplemented with classroom instruction and interactive learning opportunities covering topics related to environmental health sciences including research ethics, environmental justice, research design, and technical communication. In addition, the investigators will provide trainees with support in identifying and utilizing opportunities pertinet to graduate study, professional study and careers in environmental health. In order to ensure a diverse group of trainees, they will actively recruit underrepresented and/or disadvantaged undergraduates to participate in this program. The Department is well positioned to provide this program, building on a rich portfolio of appropriate laboratory and field-based research in environmental health sciences, and on past and current programs that focus on undergraduate education and research. Public Health Relevance: There is a present and growing need to increase the number of researchers and research leaders entering the fields of environmental health sciences. By helping to foster awareness of and familiarity with research in environmental health sciences among undergraduate science majors, this project will increase the pool of future applicants for graduate study in this field, leading to more outstanding scientists selecting Environmental Health Sciences as a career focus. This will build capacity to identify, understand and respond to new and emerging issues in public health.